Social support, emotional intelligence and academic performance in Secondary Education

Social support (family, teachers, and peer group), as well as the perceptions individuals have about their own emotional abilities could be factors that affect academic performance in Secondary Education, despite the empirical evidence is not entirely conclusive. The objective of this study is to examine the direct influence of the main sources of social support and perceived emotional intelligence in academic attainment in Compulsory and Post-Compulsory Secondary Education students. The sample is composed of 850 students (41.4% men and 58.6% women; Mage=14.38 years, SD=1.69) from the Basque Country, selected by random sampling. This sample completed the Relational Support Inventory (RSI) for measuring social support, and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-22) for assessing perceived emotional intelligence. The average overall grades were also obtained as an indicator of academic achievement. The data, obtained through multiple regressions, show that perceived support from family and teachers have a direct and noteworthy effect on academic achievement in Secondary Education. This study highlights the greater importance of family and teacher support in socio-personal adjustment during Secondary School compared to perceived emotional intelligence.